Federal Reporter

Federal Reporter is a series of law reports in the United States that are designated to publish decisions of the United States courts of appeals and selected decisions of the United States district courts. The Federal Reporter is part of the National Reporter System, a comprehensive system for publishing the decisions of the appellate courts of the United States, which is produced by West Publishing.

History

The Federal Reporter began with its first series (F.) in 1880, covering decisions from 1880 to 1922. It was succeeded by the second series (F.2d) in 1924, covering decisions until 1993. The third series (F.3d) commenced in 1993 and is currently ongoing. Each series of the Federal Reporter includes volumes that are sequentially numbered, starting over at 1 with the beginning of each new series.

Coverage

The Federal Reporter covers decisions of the United States courts of appeals, which are intermediate appellate courts between the district courts (the trial courts of the federal court system) and the Supreme Court of the United States. It also selectively publishes decisions from the district courts and special federal courts, such as the United States Court of Federal Claims and the United States Tax Court. However, it does not publish decisions of the Supreme Court, which are published in the United States Reports.

Importance

The Federal Reporter is a key resource for lawyers, judges, and legal scholars who seek to understand the development of federal law in the United States. It provides authoritative reports of judicial decisions, including the opinions of the courts and summaries of the cases. These reports are used for legal research and are often cited in legal documents and judicial opinions.

Format

Each case in the Federal Reporter includes the title of the case, the citation, the court issuing the decision, the date of the decision, and the full text of the court's opinion. Cases may also include concurring and dissenting opinions. The Federal Reporter uses a standard citation format that is recognized across the legal profession in the United States.

Access

The Federal Reporter is available in print and electronic formats. Many law libraries and institutions subscribe to the Federal Reporter in print, and electronic versions are available through legal research services such as Westlaw and LexisNexis. These electronic platforms provide advanced search capabilities, making it easier for users to find relevant cases and legal principles.

Criticism and Alternatives

While the Federal Reporter is an essential tool for legal research, it has faced criticism for being part of a proprietary system of legal publishing, which can limit access due to the cost of subscriptions. In response, there have been efforts to increase access to federal court decisions through free or lower-cost alternatives, such as public domain databases and the movement for open access to legal materials.